Not a single civilian remained in Mazraa, a Druze-majority town in the western suburbs of Sweida in Syria, on Friday.
Thick black smoke hung over the city as Bedouin fighters roamed the roads in cars and on scooters, after having effectively taken control.
Torched and looted buildings loomed over streets lined with charred vehicles.
One fighter, wearing a Lacoste cap, chanted “Allahu akbar” while standing behind a wall scrawled with graffiti reading “Druze pigs” and “Down with the collaborators”.
The Druze, a religious minority whose beliefs derive from a branch of Islam, also have communities in Lebanon and Israel. Israel has long portrayed itself as a protector of the Druze.
The violence on the outskirts of Sweida started again despite a fragile ceasefire reached on Wednesday, which halted four days of indiscriminate bloodshed in the Druze-majority city.
The fighting, which began on Sunday as tit-for-tat attacks between local Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze militias, two long-standing rivals, quickly escalated into violence.
Government forces intervened to quell the clashes, but were accused of committing widespread abuses against the Druze. Israel also joined the fray, launching attacks on government forces, saying it was acting to protect the Druze.
A ceasefire reached on Wednesday had raised hopes for a return to calm after days of fighting.
But the respite was short lived. Hours after the ceasefire was agreed, Druze militiamen launched retaliatory attacks on Bedouin communities, according to Syria’s state news agency, Sana, which condemned what it called “violations” against Bedouin tribes.
Sectarian clashes restarted. On Thursday night, Bedouin tribes advanced towards the city of Sweida and set fire to properties in Druze-majority villages in the western suburbs of the regional capital, including Mazraa.
Fierce fighting continued on Friday in the nearby village of Walgha, pitting Druze militia factions against Bedouin tribes.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, said no casualties had been reported so far from the renewed fighting.
There was no sign of Syrian government forces in Mazraa after they withdrew from Sweida province following the ceasefire.
Security General convoys were seen on Friday driving in Deraa province, located east of Sweida, but did not enter the area.
At least 594 people have been killed in Sweida province in the recent violence, including civilians and fighters from Bedouin groups, Druze militias and government forces, the monitor said on Thursday evening.
It said 300 Druze were killed, including 146 fighters and 154 civilians. At least 257 government personnel and 18 Bedouin fighters were also killed, while three Bedouin civilians were "executed" by Druze fighters.
The UN's migration agency said on Friday that nearly 80,000 people have been displaced by sectarian violence.
Civilians bearing the brunt
Civilians from both sides have been bearing the brunt of the violence.
Inside Sweida, residents said a precarious calm had held throughout the day, despite fighting raging on the outskirts of the city and fears it could spread.
Many described harrowing scenes as they ventured back into the streets after days of confinement amid indiscriminate shelling, with bodies in the streets, burnt-out cars and looted homes.
Ramzi, who had moved to a safer area in the southern part of the province before fighting resumed, said he returned on Friday morning to find his home looted.
“They stole everything. Everything,” he said.
Residents said the city was completely sealed off.
“Sweida is under siege,” said Cham, adding that they only had some flour and vegetables left and were running low on infant milk formula.
Amid the humanitarian crisis, the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management announced on Friday the creation of a joint operations room to co-ordinate relief, evacuation and ambulance services. It said hundreds of families had been sent to safer areas.
A dozens of kilometres from Sweida, in the town of Busra Al Harir, in neighbouring Deraa province, many displaced Bedouin families were seen camping in the open on Thursday.
They said they fled out of fear of reprisals by Druze factions in Sweida.
Among them was Jumaa Al Khalaf, 70. “We were displaced because Druze fighters told us that if they find us they will kill us,” he said.
“We ask the authorities to hear our voice. We need aid. We need tarpaulins, we need tents,” Mr Al Khalaf said.
“We fled a civil war. We are with none of the sides. We've been here for about 15 years, just trying to make a living.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 4 (Salah (pen 4, 33', & pen 88', Van Dijk (20')
Leeds United 3 (Harrison 12', Bamford 30', Klich 66')
Man of the match Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The years Ramadan fell in May
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
RESULTS
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The%20specs
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MATCH INFO
Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)
Charles 57, Amla 47
Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)
Fletcher 40, Moores 28 no, Lamichhane 2-9
Bangla Tiger win by five wickets
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Read more about the coronavirus
More on animal trafficking
'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
Rating: 1 out of 4
Running time: 81 minutes
Director: David Blue Garcia
Starring: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham
Company%20Profile
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
EA%20Sports%20FC%2024
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
FORSPOKEN
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Diablo%20IV
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Assassin's%20Creed%20Mirage
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Starfield
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RACE CARD
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 – Group 1 (PA) $65,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (Turf) 1,800m
7.40pm: Meydan Classic – Listed (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,600m
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $195,000 (T) 2,810m
8.50pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (T) 2,000m
9.25pm: Meydan Challenge – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,400m
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
